Kilkenny Castle in autumn I’ve begun to wonder if the organisers of Savour Kilkenny have a direct line to whoever is in charge of our weather, as I have come to associate perfectly crisp cool days & blue skies with this autumnal foodie feast! Though food may be the star of the show here, the location right in the the heart of Kilkenny city, with the castle and it’s park & gardens as the back
(more…)
A sample of woodland fungi and books before we set off. Edible varieties on the left, unedible to the right. Today I joined the Slieve Bloom walking club (www.slievebloom.ie) for a guided Fungi hunt around Glenbarrow in the Slieve Blooms. Having to shamefully follow directions from some American lady on my phone, I found Glenbarrow carpark at the opposite end of my home county, Laois. The weather was certainly not great, but I’m a big
(more…)
Our local fish shop in Portlaoise make this really more-ish BBQ salmon, which is hot smoked with whiskey & sugar and sold in sides or portions over the counter. I have been hooked on this a long time and love it with just some avocado for a snack/light lunch. The elderberries have started to appear and I was eager to do something with them. I love the colour they add to plates and I thought
(more…)
Despite the shorter days and darker mornings, Autumn brings many lovely things along with it as it nudges its way past summer. We seem to be blessed this year with settled, sunny, crisp days, which is giving us lots of opportunities to get out and join our four-legged furry friends – gathering together some hibernation treats! Each year, prime foraging time will vary according to weather conditions; it could be early September one year and
(more…)
With the countdown to Hallowe’en holidays under way, and hedgerow branches weighing down with blackberries, I thought a cake might be a good project for aspiring bakers to complete with a break away from the books. If you can round up a gang and head for the fields, you can pick lots of containers of tangy blackberries and freeze them so you have a steady stream over the winter for stewing and crumbles. Luckily, I
(more…)
Crab has to be one of our more plentiful of shellfish and whether you are near our coastline or more inland, it is very easy to source some great sweet meat from these underwater natives. Crab is not cheap to buy and this is a reflection of the precious supply & the labour that goes into preparation. While catching and preparing your own crab can be a fun experience, you may not have the inclination
(more…)
With summer holidays well and truly over and trying to re-establish somewhat of a routine, I found myself craving clean, healthy food that was going to help me banish the hangover of one too many summer treats. And along came my Uncle with lots of chard that was looking for a good home! Swiss Chard is the archetypal leafy green vegetable; the leaf appearing to compromise somewhere between the rhubarb and spinach leaf and a
(more…)
Once I spot the fruit on the blackcurrant bush develop from green to purple-black I look forward to the can’t-stop-eating-it blackcurrant jam, while at the same time, it hits me that summer will soon come to an end and autumn is making its return. Developing later in the summer, these few weeks are peak blackcurrant season and if you can get your hands on some of these aromatic currants you will be inhaling their unmistakeable
(more…)
With summer in full swing, you probably find yourself gravitating towards salads and light, fresh, tasty options. While salad is lovely, it is not enough to fill one of my hungry gaps – I like to add something a little more substantial to my plate – so I often make this roulade, or variations of it in the summer months. While roulade usually conjures up ideas of luscious creamy desserts, there are lots of great
(more…) 
